The story of The Upper Crust began in 1948, when Anthony’s grandfather, George Gambrill, returned from WWII and bought a tea house in Collaroy. He transformed it into a humble pie and cake shop – the early roots of what would become a Northern Beaches institution.

In 1959, the Kerslake family took over, running the business for 27 years before passing the torch to Sylvia and Fran in 1986. They gave it its official name: The Upper Crust.

Meanwhile, George continued making waves in the pie world, opening several shops across the Beaches, including the iconic Cronulla Pie Shop in 1963 – a local favourite with queues out the door. This legacy of pie perfection inspired the launch of Shakespeare’s Pies.

The Cronulla Pie Shop proved an example for the next generation to follow and Geroge’s son in law Robert Gualdi took up the challenge opening the legendary Pier Pie Shop in Manly from 1970-1989.

Anthony, Beth, and Brother Jason picked up the torch in 1988, opening Allambie Cakes & Pies and eventually in 1994 opening Shakespeares in Manly and growing it into an international franchise with 60 locations across Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. But one dream remained – reclaiming his grandfather’s original Collaroy shop.

In 2005, after nearly 20 years of friendship and persistence, Sylvia sold The Upper Crust back to Anthony.

Today, Anthony, with his Brother Robert, continues the family tradition with a deep respect for original recipes – some dating back to 1906 – while also embracing new flavours. From the beloved classic mince pie to modern hits like Chicken, Brie & Avocado, The Upper Crust remains a must-stop on Pittwater Road. Because around here, it’s more than just a pie – it’s pure pie magic.